Methods and systems for authenticating products are provided. A client system receives a request for a set of unique security codes and also receives product data associated with a product on which the security codes are to be printed. The client sends at least some of the product data to a host system and receives a batch identifier from the host. The host stores received product data with the batch identifier. The client generates the set of security codes and then provides the codes to be printed on the product. After the products enter the stream of commerce, the host can receive an authentication request including a security code, and in response the host will verify that the security code is valid and return to the requestor the authentication result and at least part of the product data associated with the batch identifier.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method comprising: receiving a request to generate a set of unique security codes, each separate security code to be placed on a separate product item; further receiving product data associated with a product on which the security codes are to be printed; generating the security codes with a processor and providing the security codes in response to the request; and in response to receiving a request to authenticate a security code, determining whether the security code is one of the generated security codes, and providing a result of the determining whether the security code is one of the generated security codes, and further providing at least part of the product data.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises an intended destination of the product.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a universal product code (UPC), a product description, a package size, a quantity, or a product or packaging image.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a time attribute, a location attribute, a work order, a lot number, a manufacturing date, a use-by date, an operator name, or a manufacturing plant.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing at least part of the previously received product data, is dependent on an identified position of a requester.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the identified position of the requester is one of a customs official or a consumer.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a batch identification from a host computing system, and wherein generating the security codes includes combining the batch identification with each of a plurality of unique identifiers.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the product data is performed by a client computing system, the method further comprises the client computing system sending the at least part of the product data to a host computing system, and wherein determining whether the security code is one of the generated security codes and wherein further providing the at least part of the product data are both performed by the host computing system.
9. A machine readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which when executed perform a method comprising: receiving a request to generate a set of unique security codes, each separate security code to be placed on a separate product item; further receiving product data associated with a product on which the security codes are to be printed; generating and providing the security codes in response to the request; and in response to receiving a request to authenticate a security code, determining whether the security code is one of the generated security codes, and providing a result of the determining whether the security code is one of the generated security codes, and further providing at least part of the product data.
10. The machine readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises an intended destination of the product.
11. The machine readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a universal product code (UPC), a product description, a package size, a quantity, or a packaging image.
12. The machine readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a time attribute, a location attribute, a work order, a lot number, a manufacturing date, a use-by date, an operator name, or a manufacturing plant.
13. The machine readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the providing at least part of the previously received product data, is dependent on an identified position of a requester.
14. The machine readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the identified position of the requester is one of a customs official or a consumer.
15. A system comprising: a unit to receive a request to generate a set of unique security codes, each separate security code to be placed on a separate product item; a unit to further receive product data associated with a product on which the security codes are to be printed; a unit to generate and provide the security codes in response to the request; a unit to determine whether a security code is one of the generated security codes, in response to receiving a request to authenticate the security code; and a unit to provide a result of the determining whether the security code is on of the generated security codes, and to further provide at least part of the product data.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises an intended destination of the product.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a universal product code (UPC), a product description, a package size, a quantity, or a packaging image.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a time attribute, a location attribute, a work order, a lot number, a manufacturing date, a use-by date, an operator name, or a manufacturing plant.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the providing at least part of the previously received product data, is dependent on an identified position of a requester.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the identified position of the requester is one of a customs official or a consumer.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 18, 2006
August 10, 2010
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